PALMERSTON NORTH. City Centre Streetscape Plan

Transcription

1 PALMERSTON NORTH City Centre Streetscape Plan Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

2 Contributors McIndoe URBAN Document History and Status The Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan (and any subsequent revisions) will be co-ordinated by and approved by Palmerston North City Council before re-issue of this page and any changes described. Revision Date Compiled By Checked By Isthmus / McIndoe Urban PNCC 2 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

3 Contents PART A 1. Introduction 1.1 Scope of this Plan Purpose and Use of the Plan Programme and Process of Engagement The Study Area Approach to Analysis Technical Analysis Access and Movement 2.1 On-Street Parking Public Transport - Bus Routes Public Transport - Facilities Vehicular Cycle Pedestrian Movement & Stationary Behaviour Wayfinding CPTED Street Structure 48 Built Form 2.11 Figure Ground Study Architectural Quality Ground Floor Frontage Activation Frontage and Quality Ratings Heritage Category Ratings 62 City Life and Culture 2.16 Building Use Street Occupation Street Art, Public Art and Events Cultural Precincts 70 Environmental and Spatial Quality 2.20 View Structure Public Realm Quality Existing Materials and Furniture Palettes Vegetation Distribution Climate / Microclimate Services 86 PART B 3. The Streetscape Plan 3.1 Introduction Aspirations Design Principles The Plan Traffic Buses Cycles Parking Flexible Streetscapes The Approach to Individual Streets Broadway Avenue Square East Main Street East Inner Square Church Street Square West Square North Rangitikei Street Streetscape Components 4.1 Principles Materials Palette Green Infrastructure Lighting and Technology Public Art Social Infrastructure Building Opportunities Project Implementation 5.1 Cost Estimate Project Phasing Streetscape Prototyping Plan Apendix Detailed Cost Estimate Consultation Reports Example Decision making criteria Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

4 4 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

5 Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

6 6 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

7 1. Introduction Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

8 8 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

9 1. 1 Scope of this Plan The Streetscape Plan is a non-statutory document that sets out the future design direction for those streets and spaces defined in the study area in Section 1.4 of this report. The range of streetscape interventions anticipated for Palmerston North s city centre are to be designed to a level of detail commensurate with a Concept Design package that includes: Overall masterplan describing comprehensive spatial arrangements to streets and spaces; Individual street typologies and specific designs; Street cross sections; Access and movement and car parking configurations; Landscape design and vegetation; Materials palette; and Indicative concepts for activation and placemaking initiatives. The Plan has been developed in collaboration with Palmerston North City Council (PNCC) drawing on Council Officer expertise and ensuring alignment with the Long Term Plan (LTP) budgets for this work. The scope extends to streetscape upgrades including carriageway, parking, footpaths, hard and soft landscape as well as the Urban and Inter-Regional Bus Terminals. The interface between these street spaces and both The Square and private building edges are also addressed. Image 1: Historic Square North and Broadway Avenue Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

10 1. 2 Purpose and Use of the Plan The Streetscape Plan has been separated into two parts: Part A: Analysis Part B: Concept Design and Streetscape Plan This report addresses Part A and forms the initial baseline stage of the project and has been developed in accordance with the terms of the project brief established by PNCC. That brief required a range of analysis to be undertaken to identify the issues affecting the study area and are set out in Section 2 of this report. The purpose of the analysis is therefore to provide a clear picture of the quality, function and types of streets and spaces within the study area, highlighting areas of concern and to guide the design of any future intervention and investment. The analysis findings provide a background against which design decisions have been made. Subsequent stages of the study respond directly to the issues and opportunities identified. Image 2: Coleman Mall 10 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

11 1. 3 Programme and Process of Engagement The project programme is set out in the adjacent Figure 1: Project programme. This describes the three-stage process running from September 2015 to June OCTOBER 2015 STAGE ONE - ANALYSIS JANUARY 2016 STAGE TWO - OUTLINE DESIGN APRIL 2016 STAGE THREE - CONCEPT DESIGN & STREETSCAPE PLAN JUNE 2016 Collaboration and engagement is integral throughout the threestage work plan and includes PNCC, stakeholder and community engagement events. The distribution of engagement ensures that ideas are developed in the round and fully grounded through local officer, stakeholder and community buy-in. 1 PROJECT MOBILISATION & STAKEHOLDER IDENTIFICATION 5 DESIGN TEAM WORKING 9 STREETSCAPE PLAN & MATERIALS PALETTE REPORT PREPARATION The findings of the engagement sessions held to date have been included as Appendices to this report. These, and subsequent engagement sessions, will support the development of the Streetscape Plan. Acronyms within this diagram are: Internal Project Team (IPG); and Internal Reference Group (IRG). 2 BACKGROUND REVIEW, ANALYSIS AND DESIGN OPTIONS SCOPING 3 IPT & IRG WORKSHOP 4 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT 6 IPT & IRG WORKSHOP 7 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT 8 PREFERRED DESIGN, TESTING & DEVELOPMENT 10 REFINE & FINALISE STREETSCAPE PLAN AND MATERIALS PALETTE WORKSHOP 1 WORKSHOP 2 PNCC PRESENTATION 1 WORKSHOP 3 WORKSHOP 4 PNCC PRESENTATION 2 WORKSHOP 5 PNCC PRESENTATION 3 Figure 1: Project programme Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

12 1. 4 Study Area The Streetscape Plan covers an area shown on the adjacent Figure 2: Study area. The Streetscape Plan is focused on the streets within the Palmerston North city centre, and is comprised of: Rangitikei Street between King Street and Square North; Broadway Avenue between Square North and Princess Street; Square North; Square West, north of Main Street; Square East, between Broadway Avenue and Church Street; Coleman Mall, at the interface with The Square; and Church Street between Square East and Square West. The study area has been extended from the original PNCC RFP to include: A small portion of Main Street (west), as indicated on Figure 2: Study area; and A critical link from the Inner Square to Square East (at Main Street intersection). The Urban Bus Terminal located on Main Street and the Inter- Regional Bus Terminal located within the Inner Square are included within the study area. Image 3: Broadway Avenue 12 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

13 The size of the study area within the dashed red line is approximately m 2 and generally comprises street space, including: Footpaths; Carriageways; Parking areas; Utilities and services, including stormwater drainage infrastructure; Transport infrastructure, including bus shelters, seating, signage and lighting; Public realm amenity, including seating, waste collection points, bicycle hoops, and wayfinding; and Street trees and understorey planting. The study area is heavily influence by its immediate adjacent built form, including façades, awning and signage. The public open space of The Square itself is not included in the study area however an important interface exists along the street edges bounding The Square and necessarily form part of the project. Coleman Mall Main Street Square West Cuba Street Inner Square Rangitikei Street Inter-Regional Bus Terminal Square North King Street Broadway Service Lane Urban Bus Terminal Regent Arcade Broadway Avenue Main Street Berrymans Lane Princess Street Princess Street Maple Lane Square East Church Street Church Street KEY Study area Jersey Lane Fitzherbert Avenue Ashley Street Figure 2: Study area Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

14 1. 5 Approach to Analysis The Streetscape Plan adopts the following overall approach to analysis as shown on the adjacent Figure 3: Approach to analysis and discussed below. Four categories are defined with a range of detailed analysis within each category. These include: A) Access and Movement This category identifies the range of modes of movement across the study area, including the provision of car and cycle parking. Accommodating appropriate levels of private vehicular access, servicing and parking are key issues affecting the streets within the study area. Public transport provision is assessed including services at both the Urban Bus Terminal and the Inter-Regional Terminal. Also addressed are the issues surrounding wayfinding, legibility and safety. Five sub-categories A1 to A5 are identified that map the various modes of movement, including the distribution and utilisation of parking and cycling, the provision of public transport (buses) and the overall patterns of vehicular, pedestrian and cycle movements. Also addressed is the general quality of wayfinding across the area, referring to issues of legibility and ease of use for users. Finally, behavioural matters are analysed, including safety and security, and general patterns of use. A1) On-street parking: Private vehicles Bicycle Motorcycle Loading zones A2) Public transport: Routes and infrastructure A3) Movement: Pedestrian Vehicular Cycling A4) Wayfinding and primary building entrances A5) Behaviour and user experience: CPTED This part of the analysis has been supported by transport and traffic advice within PNCC. B) Built Form This category focuses on the physical built fabric within the study area. The existing buildings (and their façades, awnings and signage) are not included within the scope of the Streetscape Plan, however have been included within the analysis as the buildings design, detailing, setback and use can greatly affect the community s perception of the public realm and subsequent public realm experience. Five sub-categories B1 to B5 are identified that highlight the scale of the built-to-open characteristics of the area along with a range of qualitative assessments of the building edges: B1) Figure ground study B2) Architectural quality B3) Building frontage ratings B4) 3D block modelling B5) Heritage category buildings C) City Life and Culture This category describes the activation of the public realm and in parallel with physical environmental factors is an important aspect to enhancing the overall quality, experience and occupation of Palmerston North s streets and spaces. Four sub-categories C1 to C4 are identified: C1) Building use C2) Street occupation: Cafés (outdoor dining) Street vendors Retail spillout C3) Street art, public art and events C4) Cultural precincts 14 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

15 B) BUILT FORM B0) Study area D) Environment and Spatial Quality This final category analyses a wide range of physical environmental matters that effect the quality of streets and spaces and the users perceptions of them. The legibility of the study area, key views, landscape provision, and public realm quality are all assessed. Five sub-categories D1 to D5 are identified: B1) Figure ground study B2) Architectural quality B) ACCESS B3) AND MOVEMENT Building frontage ratings B1) Parking & Cycling B2) Public Transport: Bus Routes B4) 3D block modelling B3) Movement (Pedestrian & Vehicular) B5) Heritage category buildings B4) Wayfinding & Primary Building Entrances B5) Behaviour and user experience - CPTED - IPTED D1) Linkages and spatial mapping: View-shafts Landmarks and landforms D2) Public realm quality: Materials and furniture palette D3) Vegetation distribution and quality D4) Climate / microclimate: Sun/shade Wind Noise Warmth Cool edges A) BUILDINGS A) ACCESS AND A0) Study Area A1) Figure Ground Study A2) MOVEMENT Architectural Quality A2) A1) Building Parking frontage and cycling ratings - i.e. Heritage & special buildings A3) A2) 3D block Public modelling transport: bus routes - heights, density of built form A4) A3) Heritage Movement Category Buildings Appendices: A4) Wayfinding and primary 1. Operative building District Plan entrances 2. Proposed District Plan A5) Behaviour and user experience B C) CITY LIFE AND CULTURE C) CITY LIFE AND CULTURE C1) Building Use C1) C2) Building use Street Occupation - Cafés (outside dinning) C2) Street occupation - Street vendors - Retail C3) C3) Street art, Street public Art, art Public and events Art & Events C4) Cultural Precincts C4) Cultural precincts D5) Services D) ENVIRONMENT D1) Linkages & Spatial Mapping - View-shafts D) ENVIRONMENT - Landmarks & landforms & SPATIAL AND QUALITY SPATIAL QUALITY D2) Public Realm Quality D1) Linkages and spatial mapping - Materials & furniture Palette D3) Vegetation Distribution & Quality D2) Public realm quality (including any protected landscape features) D4) Climate / Micro-climate D3) Vegetation distribution and - i.e quality sun/shade studies, prevailing wind, noise, warm and cool edges D5) Services D4) Climate / microclimate D5) Services Figure 3: Approach to analysis Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

16 Reference Documents International Publications City of New York, 2013, Active Design: Shaping the Sidewalk Experience City of New York, 2013, Active Design: Shaping the Sidewalk Experience - Tools and Resources City of Sydney Council, 2013, Sydney Streets Code Gehl, J., 2010, Cities for People National, Regional and Local Publications Landry, C., June 2013, Creative City Index: Comfortable or Captivating - An Assessment of Palmerston North Historic Places in Palmerston North, 2013, Available from < Places%20in%20PN%20Second%20Edition% pdf>. [November 2015] Palmerston North City Council, August 2013, Street Design Manual For Palmerston North Palmerston North City Council, August 2013, City Centre Framework For Palmerston North Palmerston North City Council, January 2016, Draft Vegetation Framework For Palmerston North Palmerston North District Plan, 2000, Available from < pncc.govt.nz/plans-policies-and-public-documents/plans/districtplan/>. [November 2015] Palmerston North Geo Guide, n.d., Available from < pncc.govt.nz/>. [November 2015] Palmerston North Urban Services, 2014, Available from < PNTHbustimetableNOV2013WEB.pdf>. [November 2015] + engagement with local stakeholders and community members as per the report. 16 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

17 STREET DESIGN MANUAL FOR PALMERSTON NORTH PALMERSTON NORTH CITY COUNCIL Place Streets (Type 1) Place Streets (Type 2) Movement / Place Streets Street Character Built Form and Activation Vehicular Types, Activity, Volumes and Speed Vehicular Amenity Pedestrian Amenity Minimum Circulation Street Infrastructure Way-finding and Signage Cyclist Amenity Stormwater Management Street Trees Lighting Public Art and Activation Technical Destination for people day and night. Character, human scale and human speed. Pedestrian priority and response to the urban context takes clear precedence over vehicular movement. Opportunity to increase pedestrian amenity through provision of more pedestrian priority space. Active edges. Multiple building development opportunities. Fine grain built form suitable for a range of activities. Cycles, service vehicles, emergency vehicles, public transport and private motor vehicles. Largely destination oriented, low volumes, low speed. Generally single lane movement in each direction. Whole of environment traffic calming - Utilise carefully considered design interventions to promote psychological traffic calming and encourage appropriate behavioural responses from all users of the street. Parking and loading can be accommodated but does not dominate the street environment. Service / delivery vehicle and bus movements are carefully considered and accommodated if necessary. Use of space within the street may change over a 24 hour period - the same space may be used for short term parking and deliveries, outdoor dining and events at different times of the day and night. Traffic signal phasing optimised to prioritise pedestrian movement over vehicle movement at signalised intersections - adapt to AM and PM peak movement patterns. Street furniture and soft landscaping that is of a higher standard than other streets. Minimum 3.0 meter wide pedestrian footpath. Street furniture such as benches, cycle stands and lighting is positioned within a clearly defined area between traffic and footpaths. Street signage is consolidated. Soft landscaping is not located on key pedestrian desire lines. Cyclists share the street at a slow speed with pedestrians and vehicles. No designated cycle lanes are provided. All levels of cycling ability feel safe. Cycle parking is supplied. On site stormwater management techniques e.g. rain-gardens, swales and permeable tree pits. In conjunction with City-Wide Vegetation Framework. Large tree pits are utilised to encourage and establish good tree root growth. Pedestrian level lighting (P category) is achieved. Amenity street lighting may be reinforced by feature lighting to emphasise sense of place. Integration of artworks into site-specific street furniture or structures. Junction radii 1-3m. Kerbs are either flush or rounded to ease movements for cyclists. Street Character Built Form and Activation Vehicular Types, Activity, Volumes and Speed Vehicular Amenity Pedestrian Amenity Minimum Circulation Street Infrastructure Wayfinding and Signage Cyclist Amenity Stormwater Management Street Trees Lighting Public Art and Activation Technical Destination for people day and night. Character, human scale and human speed. Pedestrian priority and response to the urban context takes clear precedence over vehicular movement. Opportunity to increase pedestrian amenity through provision of more pedestrian priority space. Active edges. Multiple building development opportunities. Fine grain built form suitable for a range of activities. Outdoor Trading Policies to ensure consistent approach taken to spatial provision of outdoor dining areas and use of appropriately designed outdoor furniture. Significant areas of open space connected to adjacent buildings through street design. Cycles, service vehicles, emergency vehicles, public transport and private motor vehicles. Largely destination oriented, low volumes, low speed. Generally single lane movement in each direction. Whole of environment traffic calming - Utilise carefully considered design interventions to promote psychological traffic calming and encourage appropriate behavioural responses from all users of the street. Parking and loading can be accommodated but does not dominate the street environment. Service / delivery vehicle and bus movements are carefully considered and accommodated if necessary. Parking bays provide flexible space for short term parking, deliveries, events and place making opportunities Streets are part of public realm and connect with adjacent open space. Street furniture and soft landscaping that is of a higher standard than other streets. 3.0m wide pedestrian footpath Consistent use of street furniture and other landscape elements between street and adjacent open space to provide complementary places for public enjoyment. Street furniture such as benches, cycle stands and lighting is positioned within a clearly defined area between traffic and footpaths. Maintenance of street furniture and soft landscaping is carefully considered. Street signage is consolidated. Soft landscaping is not located on key pedestrian desire lines Cyclists share the street at a slow speed with pedestrians and vehicles - no designated cycle lanes are provided. All levels of cycling ability feel safe. Cycle parking is supplied On site stormwater management techniques e.g. rain-gardens, swales and permeable tree pits. In conjunction with City-Wide Vegetation Framework. Large tree pits are utilised to encourage and establish good tree root growth. Pedestrian level lighting (P category) is achieved. Appropriate street lighting is integrated. Junction radii 1-3m. Kerbs are either flush or rounded to ease movements for cyclists. Street Character Built Form and Activation Vehicular Types, Activity, Volumes and Speed Vehicular Amenity Pedestrian Amenity Minimum Circulation Street Infrastructure Wayfinding and Signage Cyclist Amenity Stormwater Management Street Trees Lighting Public Art and Activation Technical Combination of destinations for people day and night, and key movement corridors across the city centre. Active edges and a range of uses, the majority of which are pedestrian-based (e.g. retail, offices, dining and entertainment). Key passenger transport function. High level of pedestrian priority whilst facilitating efficient vehicular movement. Cycles, service vehicles, emergency vehicles, public transport and private motor vehicles Generally single lane movement in each direction. Whole of environment. Balance use of psychological traffic calming techniques with appropriate use of conventional traffic calming measures, e.g. horizontal and vertical deflection. Parking and loading can be accommodated but does not dominate the street environment. Service / delivery vehicle and bus movements are carefully considered and accommodated if necessary. Demarcated parking bays may provide flexible space for other uses during different times of the day and night. Uncontrolled crossing points are used mid-block to minimise severance and maximise permeability. Private accessways across public space should be designed so that they look and feel like they are public spaces (rather than a public entrance). Vehicular carriageway tends to be narrow and not dominant of the overall street character. Street furniture and soft landscaping that is of a higher standard than other streets. 3.0m wide pedestrian footpath next to building frontages. 3.0m wide off road shared cycle / walk way. Allocate at least half of the street to pedestrians and cyclists. Street and highway signage is consolidated. Soft landscaping is not located on key pedestrian desire lines. Cyclists share the street at a slow speed with pedestrians and vehicles - designated lanes may be provided dependent upon spatial availability. All levels of cycling ability feel safe. Cycle parking is supplied. The majority of carriageway space is allocated and designed for pedestrian / cyclist movement and human scale behaviour. In conjunction with City-Wide Vegetation Framework. Pedestrian level lighting (P category) is achieved. Appropriate street lighting is integrated Junction radii 1-3m. Drop kerbs are aligned with key cycle routes to ease movement for cyclists. Kerb alignments are rationalised to simplify vehicular movement where practical and increase legibility and ease of use. Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

18 18 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

19 2. Technical Analysis Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

20 2. 1 Access and Movement - On-Street Parking There is a prevalence of on-street, angled parking. Most parking within the study area is a maximum of 120 minutes, paid parking. As a result, the on-street parking competes with the free 60 minute parking provided in The Plaza. Parking typically discourages long stays in the city centre. With the exception of Downtown s free parking on Sundays, and reduced evening charges. All Council controlled parking is free on Saturday after 3.30pm and all day Sunday, as well as after 5.30pm on weekdays. Several of the car parking spaces are designated disabled parking. This is unevenly distributed throughout the site. The Courthouse includes a disabled parking space on site, access for which must be considered with the planning of the Main Street Urban Bus Terminal. Motorcycle parking is provided within the study area, predominantly along Broadway Avenue and Church Street. Loading zones are provided along most blocks, with 15 minute time limits allowing servicing to the various retail and commercial frontages. Constraints Palmerston North is a sprawling city that is reliant upon vehicular movement and access. There are competing demands between vehicular and pedestrian amenity, however a balance must be achieved to ensure the streetscape allows adequate parking and management to support economic sustainability and growth. The Streetscape Plan must be designed with consideration for the Council s Parking Management Plan. Opportunities Review distribution of parking and parking types for public transport, private vehicles, motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians to encourage new movement throughout the city centre e.g. free parking, varied timed allowances. Review cycle infrastructure to encourage greater use of active transport. Cyclist parking is distributed throughout the study area, at intersections and along shopping routes. There appears to be sufficient cyclist parking for the cycle movements within the study area, however community and stakeholder feedback suggests that it is unsafe. More cycle infrastructure should be provided to encourage greater use of active transport. External to the study area, PNCC has incorporated short term, unpaid parking of 15 and 30 minutes. These parking spaces are on Square West between Church and Main Streets. There are also a few within the study area, on Main Street outside the Post Shop. Image 4: Square East 20 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

21 P King Street P P UCOL Cuba Street Rangitikei Street 7 spaces including: 2 loading zones Rangitikei Street Square North 62 spaces including: 2 disabled spaces 2 loading zone 1 motorcycle parking area The Regent on Broadway Regent Arcade Broadway Avenue 131 spaces including: 5 disabled spaces 8 loading zones 3 motorcycle parking areas Princess Street Coleman Mall Square North Broadway Avenue Coleman Mall 17 spaces including: 1 disabled space Library Square West Square West (north section) 53 spaces including: 1 disabled space 1 loading zone Inner Square i.site High Flyers Broadway Service Lane P Downtown P Berrymans Lane KEY Parallel parking Perpendicular parking Angle parking Loading zone Motorcycle parking Main Street West Main Street West 9 spaces including: 1 loading zone 1 motorcycle parking area PNCC P Square West (south section) 27 spaces including: 1 disabled space 2 loading zones Square East Courthouse Square East 114 spaces including: 3 disabled spaces 1 loading zone 2 motorcycle parking areas Maple Lane P Main Street East Main Street East 155 spaces including: 4 disabled spaces 2 loading zones 6 motorcycle parking areas Disabled parking Church Street Church Street P Off-Street car parking Bicycle parking Taxi stand Fitzherbert Avenue Church Street 140 spaces including: 2 disabled spaces 3 loading zones 2 motorcycle parking areas The Plaza Ashley Street Figure 4: On-street parking Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

22 2. 2 Access and Movement - Public Transport - Bus Routes There are 22 bus routes regularly servicing the study area. The Square, Church Street, Fitzherbert Avenue, Main Street and Rangitikei Street support bus movements from the Urban and Inter- Regional Bus Terminals. Both terminals include holding/parking areas and associated infrastructure (shelter, lighting). Buses are an integral part of the urban life of Palmerston North, seen as a public service. The services run throughout the day and into the early evening, typically between 6-7am and 6-7pm. Some additional services run on Friday evenings. The services run to/ from the suburbs, and start/terminate at the Main Street Urban Bus Terminal. Significant pedestrian traffic is created where there are bus stops. As the Urban Bus Terminal is the starting point for a number of routes, there are generally people waiting most times during the day in and around the terminal. It is important that any waiting area feels comfortable and safe for all bus patrons. Bus terminals require hard wearing materials and surfaces to support heavy, daily use by a range of people. This often creates a need to work with a limited set of materials to minimise damage both by operational and human activity. The terminal also needs to be easily cleaned and maintained. To that end, it is important that the material selection and detailing are designed to a human scale and comfort level, even if the materials are robust and utilitarian. The end result should create a positive anchor for the urban design of the city centre, an attractive and safe public space that discourages antisocial behaviour. Constraints Services can be re-routed to minimise movements through the sensitive inner area. However, this will have an associated increase in vehicle km s which in turn will have increased costs over and above those contracted. Opportunities Review bus movements between Rangitikei Street and Main Street to ensure prioritisation of pedestrians and active transport choices. There is some scope to relocate bus and coach layovers (down time between arrivals and departures) to a location where space is not at such a premium. This does introduce additional movements. Rationalise space dedicated to the urban terminal to allow for a higher level of pedestrian activity. Review the materials and surfaces for bus terminals to consider human scale and comfort as well as operational maintenance. The end result should create a positive anchor for the urban design of the city centre, an attractive and safe public space that discourages antisocial behaviour. Image 5: Main Street - Urban Bus Terminal 22 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

23 LOMBARD ST RANGITIKEI ST SUMMERHILL DR RUAPEHU DR VICTORIA AVE RUSSELL ST ALBERT ST ALBERT ST HERETAUNGA ST FITZROY ST KEITH ST Manawatu Trotting Club SEDDON ST KEITH ST NORTH ST ROY ST SCHNELL DR GILLESPIES LINE BENMORE AVE Railway Station BENNETT ST OT RANGITIKEI ST COLQUHOUN PARK RENNIE AVE FAIRS RD TER'S LEGE ASP A HOLDSWORTH AVE LANGLE MILS FAIRS RD Julia Wallace Retirement Village Milson Shops RAILWAY RD On all oth services op the Sun KEY OT Urban Bus Terminal Bus stop Inter-Regional Bus Terminal A1_stops_diag Outer Terminal Inter-regional bus route Bus routes Main (as St Terminal per Horizon Regional Council website) Ashhurst 1 Awapuni 2 Rugby 3 Highbury 4 Takaro 5 Cloverlea 6 Milson 7 Rhodes 8 Roslyn 9 Rangiora 10 Brightwater 31 Fernlea 32 Heights From Fldg To Fldg 12 Massey 12A Massey 12B Massey 12C Massey 14 IPC 15 HC Awapuni Race Course Map Production September 2012 Palmerston North City Council MAXWELLS LINE OT AMBERLEY AVE CLARKE AVE AMBERLEY AVE CHATSWORTH ST OLIVE TREE Retirement Village RUGBY ST SLACKS RD HAVELOCK AVE Havelock Shops PENCARROW ST ALEXANDER PARK LONG MELFORD RD PEMBROOKE ST MONRAD ST TREMAINE AVE TREMAINE AVE TREMAINE AVE BILL BROWN PARK PITAMA RD HIGHBURY AVE FERGUSON ST AWAPUNI PARK HIGHBURY AVE MONRAD PARK BOTANICAL RD BOTANICAL RD MONRAD INTERMEDIATE PIONEER HWY MAIN ST TENNENT DR OT Highbury Shops RONBERG ST WEST ST BRYANT ST COLLEGE ST COLLEGE ST Pitama Shops Te Wananga O Aotearoa AWATAPU COLLEGE Cloverlea Shops LIVERPOOL ST Takaro Shops CHELWOOD ST Coleman Mall Library Main Street West PNCC Church Street Figure 5: Bus routes TENNENT DR LYNDHURST ST Lido Aquatic Centre MASSEY ALBANY DR OT Square West OLD WEST RD Arena Manawatu COOK ST FEATHERSTON ST FEATHERSTON ST BOURKE ST Cuba Street CUBA ST CHURCH ST FERGUSON ST PARK RD ONGLEY PARK CORONATION PARK P. NORTH INTERMEDIATE NORMAL SCHOOL VICTORIA ESPLANADE Manawatu Sports & Community Athletics Rugby Track Institute WALDING ST PN GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL FITZHERBERT AVE THE SQUARE TURITEA RD FITZHERBERT AVE QUEEN ELIZABETH COLLEGE PN BOYS HIGH SCHOOL Rangitikei Street Inner Square CENTENNIAL DR Summerset Retirement Village Fitzherbert Avenue NGATA ST UCOL MORRIS ST Metlife Care Retirement Village JICKELL ST WARD ST TE AWE AWE ST IPC OT PRINCESS ST OT Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Mana Tamariki BROADWAY AVE FERGUSON ST Square North i.site COLLEGE OF EDUCATION Intercity Naked bus MANAWATU GOLF CLUB GREY ST King Street COLLEGE ST IHAKA ST PN PUBLIC HOSPITAL Terrace End Shopping centre RUAHINE ST RUAHINE ST MANAWATU ST TREMAINE AVE FEATHERSTON ST MAIN ST MAIN ST Square East Albert St Shops The Plaza PAHIATUA ST High Flyers ROSS INTERMEDIATE KOROMIKO AVE VAUTIER PARK FREYBERG HIGH SCHOOL RANGIORA AVE MEMORIAL PARK MANSON ST RUAHINE ST Maple Lane Broadway Service Lane AOKAUTERE DR The Regent on Broadway OT PARKLAND CRES PALMERSTON NORTH GOLF CLUB Courthouse LIMBRICK ST Downtown BRIGHTWATER TCE VOGEL ST VOGEL ST Roslyn Shops CLYDE CRES Regent Arcade PAHIATUA AOKAUTERE RD KAIMANAWA ST MIHAERE DR Broadway Avenue Main Street East Ashley Street Berrymans Lane KELVIN GROVE RD RHODES DR OT NAPIER RD MCLEAVEY DR Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Manawatu HILLCREST DR UCOL Church Street OT ROBERTS LINE ROBERTS LINE NAPIER RD CELAENO PARK FERNLEA AVE Princess Street PARNELL HEIG BROOKLYN H FORD ST YORK ST W AS Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

24 2. 3 Access and Movement - Public Transport - Facilities Site Observations The Urban Bus Terminal is an industrial style structure that invokes a utilitarian environment; Safety concerns about pedestrians walking across bus lanes has introduced barrier fencing not conducive to pedestrians; A dark environment that does not enhance the user experience; Central location in the road blocks views of the Ruahine Ranges from The Square; Four lane platforms make the space feel congested; Pedestrian space around the structure is heavily car dominated; The Courthouse s relationship with road / Urban Bus Terminal is poor with blank walls, a small stepped entrance not allowing any natural activity at its edges; The adjacent carpark creates a back of house feeling; Scale of the structure appears larger than is necessary; Lighting is utilitarian and should be more friendly at night; Waiting spaces feel unfriendly / unsafe and cold / windy; Main Street East feels like a left over space - it is car dominated, with the bus terminal positioned in the middle; There is a lack of connection between The Square and Main Street East, as well as from one side of Main Street to the next. This poor physical connection is exacerbated by the Urban Bus Terminal blocking visual connections; and The two terminals have little architectural relationship, despite being in close proximity to each other. The part of the street bounded by High Flyers / the old library, the Courthouse and the carpark has some unfortunate urban issues including: Gaps in the street; Lack of active edges and large blank walls; Floor levels not at grade; Carparking at ground level; Industrial structures that do not encourage human interaction; Industrial lighting; Uncoordinated mix of landscape treatments; and Additions to the High Flyers building that block the views and movements of pedestrians between Square East to Broadway Avenue. Context Private investment to improve frontages and on-street activity is not likely without a revitalised streetscape. Location The current Urban Bus Terminal location is successful, however it has become the centrepiece of a low quality of streetscape. The bus station itself is unfriendly, utilitarian and industrially scaled, forming a significant blockage for connections through and around this area. The buses, once stopped, form a large wall which restricts view lines through the public domain, creating safety concerns. The concrete barriers restrict vision across the street and the building casts a great shed like shadow over the surrounding streetscape. Streetscape Interface Main Street historically supported the city s train infrastructure, with the main trunk line running down its centre. As a result, it is wide enough to support a building site within the road reserve and still function as a through road for vehicles. The buildings in and around the terminal include the Courthouse, the old post office / High Flyers, and the carpark. These have been built at various times and sit as independent buildings within the streetscape. All have a relationship to the street as a result of floor level changes or road crossings. Investment to improve these frontages is unlikely unless a benefit can be provided with a revitalised streetscape. 24 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

25 Downtown Image 6: Urban Bus Terminal i.site Square East Square East High Flyers old library Urban Bus Terminal at-grade carpark Courthouse Main Street KEY Regional bus route Visitor parking Figure 6: Urban Bus Terminal and bus routes Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

26 The Square Interface There are two bus terminals, the Urban and Inter-Regional Bus Terminals. Presently, the two are located within walking distance, with the Inter-Regional Bus Terminal located within the Inner Square. The structure of the Inter-Regional Bus Terminal has been designed as a lightweight structure with a glazed roof, and integrated with existing concrete retaining walls. The terminal is oriented toward the car park. The terminal was designed as a temporary facility, however is recommended to be permanent. Should the terminal remain in this location, improvements could include coordinated signage and a higher quality of detailing. Ambient lighting must be included to ensure safe afterhours use. Constraints Operational requirements of inter-regional bus network. Interface sensitivities with The Square (landscape, amenity, views, heritage). Vehicular access and public car parking in parallel with bus access. Need to work with / modify the existing canopy structure; Harder to move the Intercity terminal because of current infrastructure already built in; Exposure to the weather, particularly in winter; Opportunities Simplify vehicular movements and establish safe pedestrian crossing points along Main Street and The Square. Image 7: Inter-regional Terminal 26 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

27 Square North Broadway Avenue 1 2 Inter-Regional Bus Terminal Sqaure East 3 Toilets 4 i.site High Flyers Napier Bound Main Street Urban Bus Terminal Napier Arrival KEY old library Inter-regional bus route Visitor parking Figure 7: Inter-Regional Bus Terminal and bus routes Wellington Arrival Wellington Bound Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

28 2. 4 Access and Movement - Vehicular The study area comprises part of a much larger open grid system, with a high level of route choice for vehicles. Management of movements is therefore difficult and past observations have demonstrated a high proportion of traffic entering the study area (central CBD) passing straight through. Traffic volumes in the study area are therefore higher than necessary to service the activities contained within and around it. All of the roads within the study area are identified as Place Streets in the City Centre Framework, with the exception of part of Main Street, which to the east of the Urban Bus Terminal is a Movement/Place Street. These streets should therefore provide access to activities, with a high level of accessibility and priority given to pedestrians, rather than accommodating the through vehicular movements which currently occur. The Council has created a 30km/hr city centre zone for streets that are within the inner Ring Road (of which the study area is a part), creating a safer environment for pedestrians and motorists alike. It also discourages through movement, helping to define the city centre as a destination. The high levels of on-street parking throughout the study area and short block lengths result in a low average vehicle speed, with average speeds for each section between 22kph to 32kph. There is a clear focus on facilitating vehicular movement in and around the city centre, with wide traffic lanes and parking on every city block. Traffic lanes are provided inconsistently. All streets, with Coleman Mall and the Inner Square the exceptions, have at least a single lane of traffic in either direction. Additional vehicular lanes allow for separate turn lanes at major intersections, however in doing so prioritise the vehicular movements over usable public domain. Main Street s vehicular configuration accommodates a variety of bus turning movements, which results in an industrially scaled public realm with large expanses of asphalt and little pedestrian amenity. Constraints The size of The Square can add significant walk times for those with reduced mobility unless parking is provided on all sections of the perimeter, effectively reducing the walkability of the CBD. Vehicular access must therefore be retained to all locations; The open nature of the grid means that route prediction and therefore management of traffic can be difficult. Bus operational requirements require the transfer of vehicles from one service to another, and routing requires further manoeuvres within the immediate terminal area. Some of the manoeuvring space is duplicated at the moment and could be optimised. Opportunities Establish a street hierarchy which builds on PNCC s Street Types to define character, purpose and key components of each city centre street; The grid system provides in-built resilience to the network and to a certain extent provides adequate choice for traffic to self-regulate, reducing the occurrence of significant congestion; The high level of accessibility and vehicular permeability provides opportunities for some links to be restricted while maintaining access to all locations; The ring road operates well below capacity, with efficiency gains possible with increased use (i.e. programming signals to favour the ring road over side roads; enabling green waves to improve travel times and journey reliability). Review vehicular movements and infrastructure in line with a proposed street hierarchy, increasing connectivity and ensuring clear and logical wayfinding for vehicles and pedestrians alike. Image 8: Church Street 28 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

29 Walding Street Pitt Street Rangitikei Street Princess Street Main Street The Square The Square Main Street Church Street Church Street KEY Key vehicular movement < average daily movements average daily movements Pitt Street Fitzherbert Avenue average daily movements > average daily movements Figure 8: Vehicular movement Ferguson Street Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

30 2. 5 Access and Movement - Cycle Palmerston North aspires to be the most cycle-friendly city in New Zealand. There is presently no cycle infrastructure, with the exception of cycle parking, provided within the study area. Cyclists typically utilise the road network, with The Square providing a platform for informal cycle movements throughout. Within Palmerston North, conventional demarcated, on-street cycle lanes are provided nearest the study area on the following streets: Church Street, at the intersection and west of Pitt Street; Church Street, at the intersection and east of Princess Street; Fitzherbert Avenue, south of Ferguson Street; Broadway Avenue, east of Princess Street; Rangitikei Street, north of Walding Street; Walding Street; and Main Street, at the intersection and west of Cook Street. Opportunities Provide additional cycle infrastructure (e.g. clear routes, parking facilities) to encourage logical and safe cycle movements through the city centre. Image 9: Square East Image 10: Broadway Avenue 30 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

31 UCOL King Street Cuba Street Rangitikei Street The Regent on Broadway Regent Arcade Princess Street Coleman Mall Square North Broadway Avenue Library Square West Inner Square i.site High Flyers Broadway Service Lane Downtown Berrymans Lane Main Street West Main Street East Courthouse PNCC Square East Maple Lane Church Street Church Street KEY Cycle movement Informal cycle movement Fitzherbert Avenue The Plaza Ashley Street Figure 10: Cycle movement Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

32 2. 6 Access and Movement - Pedestrian Observational studies of stationary behaviour and pedestrian movement patterns (A3) were undertaken at locations which provide comparison between different street and intersection designs at peak day-time hours. The results of the studies provide information for prototyping public space. The direct observations of pedestrian movements and behaviour were supplemented by the NZ Property Institute s annual pedestrian survey data from November Evening use was assessed with site visits in both early evening and late night through the CPTED study. Figure 11: Pedestrian movement at Square West: Coleman Mall Figure 12: Pedestrian movement at Square West: Council shared space Square West: Coleman Mall Raised crossings and unique planted corner. Destination: Library. Summary Movement between The Square and destination is significant. Generous space for pedestrians and a low speed environment allows a diversity of direct routes to be taken. Very little stationary behaviour was observed here. Implications for Design Strategies The tree on the corner funnels pedestrians into a tight area. Areas of intersection of pedestrian flows may provide a focal points for social infrastructure. Square West: Council Shared Space Flush surface street, only section of The Square with two frontages. Parallel parking on both sides of street. Destination: City Council offices and service centre, café. Summary The flush surface street and a number of clear destination points in the area creates repeated, but diverse patterns. Landscaping shapes the potential crossing points and funnels people into 3-4 choices of crossing in the central island. Pedestrians were observed giving way to traffic entering the area from the roundabout. Very little stationary behaviour observed. Implications for Design Strategies The roundabout and landscape forces pedestrians to deviate from direct crossing points at corners into this shared space. Parallel parking and flush surface street allow for flexible and direct movements. 32 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

33 KEY 100 pedestrian movements < 10 pedestrian movements Destination Food trucks NOTE The samples include minor sources of error due to technology limitations and environmental factors which do not affect establishment of overall movements patterns. Sources of error: video footage, reflections in shop windows, shadows, large vehicles passing between camera location and pedestrian routes. Figure 13: Pedestrian movement at Square West / Church Street: corner Figure 14: Pedestrian movement at Square East / Church Street: Plaza corner Figure 15: Pedestrian movement at Square East: mid-block between Main and Church Streets Square West / Church Street: Corner Roundabout with raised pedestrian platforms. Destination: Square Edge Creative Centre. Summary The edges of The Square are the most heavily used, raised crossings allow people to move freely around the edge of the space. No observed direct routes across the roundabout. People were observed cutting the corner of The Square on the park side. The dimensions of the roundabout and raised crossings make people walk further than necessary. Implications for Design Strategies The corners of The Square could be chamfered at entry points to facilitate cutting corners and entry. Size of intersections could be minimised to reduce the walking distance of pedestrians. Square East / Church Street: Plaza Corner Traffic signals and slip lane left-turn. Destination: The Plaza. Summary The edges of The Square are the busiest, with a strong secondary path into The Square. Traffic signals caused delay and bunching for pedestrians. On The Square east side, the large bunches of pedestrians hit the constrained footpath at speed. Waiting occurs in the refuge by the slip lane with no shelter. A degree of cutting across the intersection was observed. Implications for Design Strategies Create a more relaxed behaviour pattern without traffic signals. Reduce the speed of pedestriansalong the street edge, and provide additional space to reduce bunching. Facilitate direct movements across the intersection. Square East: Mid-Block Between Main and Church Streets Angle parking and central parallel parking. Summary The Square east was the busiest section sampled. Pedestrian volumes are highly asymmetric with little crossing to parking in the middle or Square side. Crossings are variable with some people walking along the central island. Parking meters are an intermediate destination. Large bunches of pedestrians walking at speed are present flowing from the signals near The Plaza. Some entries into The Square observed here. Implications for Design Strategies Create more relaxed behaviour patterns along the building edge and provide pedestrian amenity. Allow for social activity to activate the public space and improve perceived vitality of city centre. Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

34 Figure 16: Pedestrian movement at Square East: between Main Street and Broadway Avenue Figure 17: Pedestrian movement at Broadway Avenue: east of The Regent on Broadway Square East: Mid-Block Between Main Street and Broadway Avenue Angle parking and central parallel parking. Summary The pedestrian volumes are reduced and the bunches on the southern part of Square East have spread out. More crossing observed into The Square towards the i.site and Inter- Regional Bus Terminal. People observed with suitcases. Crossings are diverse and there is little stationary behaviour in this area. Some people observed walking along central island. Implications for Design Strategies Connection from the i.site and bus terminal (if long-term location). Potential designated crossing points associated with intermediate destinations e.g. way-finding, parking payment stations etc. The pedestrian volume is approximately a third of southern Square East. The presence of the large old post office (High Flyers) is obviously linked to the potential of this block. Design strategies for the building frontage and the street should be considered together. Broadway Avenue: East of The Regent on Broadway Angle parking both sides. Summary Fairly balanced pedestrian movements on both sides of street. The additional footpath width is used by pedestrians. Crossing the street occurs commonly and is spread evenly along the street. Pedestrians are observed walking along the rear of the angle parking waiting for traffic and a convenient time to cross. The zig-zag required to move through two sets of angle parking creates a diverse range of movements across the street. Parking meters are intermediate destinations and the parking footpath on one side of the street, is often visited before people cross the road towards their destination. Little stationary behaviour was observed in the additional footpath space. Queuing of cars in the street segment was visible and caused by the raised crossing at The Regent. Implications for Design Strategies Parking arrangements are clearly an opportunity to facilitate much greater connectivity between both sides of the street, and crossing locations associated with intermediate destinations e.g. parking and way-finding, and social spaces. Additional footpath width requires a greater diversity of functions in addition to providing more movement spaces, and brief waiting and intermediate destination space. Design strategies should pay attention to the potential movements of pedestrians who walk along the carriageway. 34 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

35 KEY 100 pedestrian movements < 10 pedestrian movements Destination Food trucks NOTE The samples include minor sources of error due to technology limitations and environmental factors which do not affect establishment of overall movements patterns. Sources of error: video footage, reflections in shop windows, shadows, large vehicles passing between camera location and pedestrian routes. Figure 18: Pedestrian movement at Square East: Main Street (morning) Figure 19: Pedestrian movement at Square East: Main Street (midday) Figure 20: Pedestrian movement at Square East: Main Street (late afternoon) Square East: Main Street (Morning) Roundabout and pedestrian crossings, food trucks present Summary Few pedestrian movements heading to or from the Urban Bus Terminal in the middle of Main Street - most occurred in the afternoon peak. The Square East crossing is the busiest side, and the others are balanced. The food trucks attracting noticeable, but not high foot traffic. People with suitcases are observed in the area. One person observed cutting across roundabout, there is some cutting across traffic and planting on The Square side. Stationary behaviour observed on the corner of Main Street and The Square, and in the centre crossing across Main Street. All stationary behaviour was short-term, and did not involve interaction with the environment. Square East: Main Street (Midday) When the food trucks are absent an increase in direct movements into The Square towards the i.site is noticeable. A fair amount of pedestrian movement was visible just inside The Square leading to the i.site and other destinations. The presence of the bus pulses was noticeable in the traffic, and in the pedestrian flows, especially on the northern side of Main Street in the morning peak. The pedestrian flow around the southern corner of Main Street and The Square was significant but not measured. The Square: Main Street (Late Afternoon) Implications for Design Strategies Consider arrangement, orientation and location of the food trucks to reduce the barrier effect and increase the staying and destination potential. Provide assets in public space which support visible public life. Consider potential for more direct routes to reduce distances for pedestrians. Consider how the interior of The Square and the destinations link with the edge of The Square. In particular The South corner of Main Street and The Square. Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

36 2. 7 Access and Movement - Movement and Stationary Behaviour Studies of actual use of public space are required to test assumptions about streetscape design and to provide evidence to support or contradict perceptions about how a place is used, and by who. Understanding the movement and stationary behaviour patterns highlights where opportunities exist to tap into the flows of people to create lively parts of a city, and where existing nodes of behaviour occur, to layer additional uses to create richer experiences. Movement The interaction of the design and layout of streets (i.e. parking, crossing points) with pedestrian movements was achieved by selecting sample sites with differing street and intersection designs. The amount of movement in a city contributes to how busy we feel that place is. Video footage was captured (1-hour samples) across the study area to determine use levels and patterns of movement within the streetscape. Pedestrian movement patterns are extremely variable and the maps simplify the movements into general movement patterns and volume. The movement study provides more detailed analysis of areas when compared with the NZ Property Institute pedestrian counts (point data). The areas with high pedestrian flows in the city do not correlate with opportunities to occupy the streetscape, and all street space in the busy areas (Square East, Main Street / Urban Bus Terminal) is designed for movement. The busiest locations were rated amongst the poorest quality streetscapes in the study area. Destination entrances attracted high flows, but often did not attract much stationary public life apart from outside of Downtown on Broadway Avenue. Shared space created more diverse pedestrian movements across the street as all desire lines are catered to with pedestrians taking the shortest routes. Roundabouts created the greatest barrier to free pedestrian movement with most pedestrians using designated crossings or raised platforms, however waiting times for pedestrians were low. Traffic signals at intersections caused the most waiting by pedestrians, allow for a diversity of movements, yet most pedestrians use marked crossing points. The signalised intersections both have slip lanes, which forces pedestrians to wait in an exposed area with no shelter for extended periods. Movement into and activity along the edge of The Square East was observed, with many people with suitcases entering The Square towards the Inter-Regional Bus Terminal. The edge of The Square East lacks mid-block features, or pathways which connect integrate the street with The Square s design. Stationary Behaviour Stationary behaviour is one of the greatest contributors to the liveliness of a city. Measuring behaviour levels across a city allows us to understand relative strengths and weaknesses of parts of the city when combined with other data such as the mapping of activity in buildings. A one hour observation period was used to capture a variety of metrics about key activity locations in the study area between 12-2pm. The observations were undertaken on days with fine weather. These observations provide a sample of actual use as opposed to surveying the presence of assets which facilitate public life, or perceptions of how busy a place is. The observed data includes: Group size: a measure of how social a space is, and also of intent, as a decision to visit the place is required to be negotiated between people; Gender / age: who is in the place; Position: measures how people site themselves in the public space; Activities: what people do in the public spaces; Duration: how long people stay in a space. The activity observed in public space was unremarkable, with the absence of strong patterns of peak hour use or interesting anomalies. Locations where a café was present with external seating were an anchor for moderate public life. No strong patterns emerged about users of the public spaces. The centre of Broadway Avenue where a prototype space has existed since November 2014, shows a moderate amount of use and people observed playing - the only space where this was observed in the five sample sites, and the only place where explicit play opportunities are provided in the streetscape. The stationary behaviour around the Urban Bus Terminal was the most abundant but consisted of short stays. The Urban Bus Terminal area was rated among the worst quality areas in the city. Despite the high pedestrian volume The Square East attracted little in the way of stationary behaviour, which is supported by assessment of the environmental qualities such as a lack of seating or space for public activity to occur. The stationary behaviour which occurs within the study area streetscapes excludes the activity in The Square. 36 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

37 Constraints UCOL Overall abundance of space - lack of space designed for city life in the streetscape; Areas with a lack of diversity of activity in buildings. Opportunities Focusing on a few specific activity points within the City with high pedestrian flows, pleasant environmental and microclimatic characteristics, and a built environment with quality and mix of uses for an 18-hour city experience; Design to support direct pedestrian movements and reduce unnecessary pedestrian walking distance and time in the city. Both mid-block and intersection designs can support this. Coleman Mall Library Square West Cuba Street Rangitikei Street Inner Square Square North i.site King Street High Flyers Broadway Service Lane The Regent on Broadway Downtown Regent Arcade Broadway Avenue Berrymans Lane Princess Street Main Street West Main Street East Courthouse PNCC Square East Maple Lane Church Street Church Street KEY Time-lapse - peak hours Behavior observation locations Fitzherbert Avenue The Plaza Ashley Street Figure 21: Movement and stationary behaviour intercept study Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

38 Behaviour Observation Location 1. The Square - Coleman Mall 1 hr observation Peak hours 12-2pm Fine weather, Spring Sample size: 25 people in 16 data points 2. Broadway Avenue (central) 1 hr observation Peak hours 12-2pm Fine weather, Spring Sample size: 41 people in 22 data points 3. The Square West 1 hr observation Peak hours 12-2pm Fine weather, Spring Sample size: 9 people in 7 data points 4. The Square East 1 hr observation Peak hours 12-2pm Fine weather, Spring Sample size: 24 people in 18 data points 5. Urban Bus Interchange 1 hr observation Peak hours 12-2pm Fine weather, Spring Sample size: 112 people in 54 data points Group Sizes Gender Ages Position Activities Duration Groups were located near the French café in the courtyard space, and outside Harvey Norman. Individuals were dotted along the south edge of Coleman Mall. More groups were located in the central area with a few solitary people. Only solitary people were located at the edges of the study area. Small groups and solitary people observed. Small sample size. Nearly all people on the building edge were solitary. Pairs and small groups were observed on the edge of The Square. Most diversity in group size. Larger groups were observed at the café on the corner of The Square, outside the courthouse and at the Massey bus stop. Small groups and pairs were common at the main bus shelters, and along the southern edge of Main Street. Solitary people were using the main bus shelters, and along the southern edge of Main Street. Both males and females used the place. Both males and females used the place. Most people were female. Most solo males were along the building edge, with a concentration near the Bendon store. Mixed groups were located on The Square side. Most of the area was balanced between males and females. Females in groups were the dominant group outside the courthouse. Diverse age groups. No pre-school children. Note: As the observations are during school hours no school age children and teenagers are likely to be present. Younger to middle age adults. Some pre-school children. Mostly younger adults and teenagers. No pre-school children. Younger to middle age adults. No pre-school children. Most diverse area. Mostly younger adults and teenagers. Some pre-school children. Some older people. People standing were outside Harvey Norman, and on the south-side of Coleman Mall. The majority of people sitting were at the café, and a few individuals were using street furniture on the south side of Coleman Mall. The area surrounding the Numbers sculpture was unused. People were standing at the entrance to The Regent Arcade, Downtown, and towards the edges of the study area. Groups were sitting together on street furniture in the central area on both sides of Broadway Avenue. Other groups were sitting outside the café at Downtown. One person was sitting/lying on the ground in the central area (artificial turf). People were standing near the median crossing and in the median. No one was sitting on street furniture. All people sitting were at the café. Most people were standing. One person sitting on a bike rack in the sun. People begging were sitting on the ground. People were mostly standing along the southern edge of Main Street and near the Massey bus stop. Most people were sitting in the main bus shelter, and groups were also sitting at the bus stops on the northern edge. Groups of people sit on the Courthouse steps. People were sitting on furniture outside the café and pie shop. No one was observed taking photos. Social activities and eating were associated with the café. Social activity also occurred outside Harvey Norman. Solitary people on Coleman Mall were people watching. Other activity - unloading and locking a bike outside Harvey Norman. No one was observed taking photos. Eating and drinking was observed at the café and in the central area. Social activity mainly occurred outside downtown. Some people were playing outside Downtown. People watching mainly occurred in the central area. Smokers and people using devices were solitary. Other activity - window shopping, busking One person was taking photos of the sculpture and buildings. People were eating and drinking at the café. Not much social activity or people watching was observed. A few people were smoking in the central median and crossing. No one was observed taking photos. No one was eating or drinking. Groups on the edge of The Square were talking. Some people were begging. A few people were on devices or people watching. Almost no activity occurs on the inactive frontages of the Courthouse and the Old Post Office. No one was observed taking photos. Few people were eating / drinking most were at the café. Some people were socialising outside. One person was dancing. Waiting for the bus is the most common activity, unsurprisingly. Activism and public speaking at courthouse. Short stays were observed around Harvey Norman s entrance and the corner of George Street and Coleman Mall. Medium length stays were on the south side of Coleman Mall by solitary people. Long stays were at the café. Most people only spent a short amount of time in the area. A few medium stays were recorded at the café. No one stayed more than about 30 minutes. Most people stayed only a short duration. People spent about minutes at the café. People only spent short stays in the area. People begging stayed the longest - but only a medium duration. Most people stayed only a short time. Medium to long stays were at the café, outside the courthouse and at a bus stop on the northern side (a commuter bus stop?). 38 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

39 The Square - Coleman Mall Image 11: Square North - Coleman Mall Figure 22: Pedestrian groups Group Size Gender Age Build-Measure-Learn Process 1. Learn: what do we want to find out? 2. Measure: how can we measure it? 3. Build: what do we need to make to answer the question (minimum viable product/ feature)? Position Activity Duration of Stay 1. What do we want to learn? Can we facilitate public life which is near to the higher pedestrian flows: Around the Numbers sculpture; Near the Library entrance and the crossing to The Square; Along the sunny southern edge of Coleman Mall. Figure 23: Study results Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

40 Broadway Avenue (Central) Image 12: Broadway Avenue (central) Figure 24: Pedestrian groups Group Size Gender Age Build-Measure-Learn Process 1. Learn: what do we want to find out? 2. Measure: how can we measure it? 3. Build: what do we need to make to answer the question (minimum viable product/ feature)? 1. What do we want to learn? This was the only location were a diversity of public life was occurring, with a range of people and the only place where play was observed. Position Activity Figure 25: Study results 40 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016 Duration of Stay Can we extend the duration and increase the amount of public activity in this area, by: Optimising the location of the assets that attract people - the connect 4, movable seating, seating platforms; Layering in additional uses; Can we grow the location as a place for kids / play; Extending activity into car parking spaces; Increase the presence of the café in the street; Increase The Regent Arcade s presence and connection at the Broadway intersection.

41 Square West Image 13: Square West Figure 26: Pedestrian groups Group Size Gender Age Build-Measure-Learn Process 1. Learn: what do we want to find out? 2. Measure: how can we measure it? 3. Build: what do we need to make to answer the question (minimum viable product/ feature)? 1. What do we want to learn? Position Activity Duration of Stay Can we extend the duration and increase the amount of public activity in this area, by: Providing activity generators in the widened footpath areas; Increasing relationship of Butterfly Pond area to the street edge, e.g. provide features in the grassy area between the pond and street. Figure 27: Study results Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

42 Square East Image 14: Square East Figure 28: Pedestrian groups Group Size Gender Age Build-Measure-Learn Process 1. Learn: what do we want to find out? 2. Measure: how can we measure it? 3. Build: what do we need to make to answer the question (minimum viable product/ feature)? Position Activity Duration of Stay 1. What do we want to learn? This area has the largest pedestrian flows in the central city streetscapes: What kind of public life will be facilitated if space is created along the building side? What kind of groups will occupy the space? Will people sit along this section? If so, where will they sit? Will this area attract people watching behaviour if seating is provided? How can this be provided without it becoming intimidating? How can the public activity be guided so that it is perceived as positive and legitimate? How can the edge of the street which interacts with the park be adapted to facilitate the short-term behaviours which occurs along the edge e.g. organising themselves, conversations? Figure 29: Study results 42 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

43 Urban Bus Terminal and Main Street Image 15: Urban Bus Terminal and Main Street Figure 30: Pedestrian groups Group Size Gender Age Build-Measure-Learn Process 1. Learn: what do we want to find out? 2. Measure: how can we measure it? 3. Build: what do we need to make to answer the question (minimum viable product/ feature)? Position Activity Duration of Stay 1. What do we want to learn? This area has the largest amount of stationary behaviour in the central city streetscapes: How can the large group, and short-term nature of people s stay in this area be used as a positive generator to people s experience of the city? How can the sunny location by the Massey bus stop create a positive experience for bus users and the people passing through the area; How can we facilitate the group behaviour and vitality of the Coffee Club corner, both with patrons and the public so that the space does not become privatised, but the public activity does not impact the customer experience; How can the experience around the Courthouse be improved so that people waiting for the court are not forced to sit on the steps or be separated from the bus passengers, and other members of the public? Figure 31: Study results Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

44 2. 8 Access and Movement - Wayfinding The ease with which users can move around and access the study area is captured in the wayfinding diagram at Figure 32. The analysis identifies: A clear structure of nodal points around The Square that are supported to varying degrees of success by associated landmark structures and/or key views; Sense of arrival into The Square could be enhanced by improving the built form, landscape quality and views, and reducing roading dominance; The Rangitikei and Fitzherbert Avenue nodes provide good axial view connections but have weak character dominated by roading; Main Street east is separated from The Square by a barrier of planting and a roundabout that weakens the function of this node; Church Street west is well supported by heritage quality buildings, has good view connections but parts of the nodal space are bland / unremarkable and poorly defined; Church Street east has good activation and has reasonable landmark structures but needs to provide better links to The Square and resolve pedestrian movement needs. The Broadway Avenue node is important but not well supported by adjacent building quality and has poor street space / junction definition; Other wayfinding features include primary entrances that should have greater coordination with streetscape treatments, providing celebration of this busier memorable locations. The streetscape design and edge of The Square needs greater attention mid-block with pathways and wayfinding supporting formal routes and desire lines which are currently unmet. Subsequent landscape projects may be required within The Square. Constraints Need to facilitate vehicular movement as well as achieve greater placemaking and pedestrian upgrade of junctions; Retain a green streetscape while enhancing strategic views into and across The Square; Building upgrades at key nodes are reliant on private sector investment. Opportunities Create a sequence of clear, memorable nodes around the edge of The Square; Transform the Urban Bus Terminal to create a quality landmark; Remove barriers and clutter from key junctions; Reinforce views into The Square by framing view shafts with planting and streetscape materials. Observational studies of pedestrian movement revealed that the placement of street furniture such as bins, parking meters is not associated with movement and way-finding. The placement causes intermediate locations to be visited by pedestrians before they head towards their destination (often observed on the other side of the road). Careful placement (triangulation) and design of the wayfinding, street design (crossing opportunities) street furniture and parking assets from a user-journey perspective would improve the overall experience of city centre visits. Image 16: Existing wayfinding signage 44 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

45 UCOL King Street Cuba Street Rangitikei Street The Regent on Broadway Regent Arcade Princess Street Coleman Mall W Square North W Broadway Avenue Library Square West Inner Square W i.site W High Flyers Broadway Service Lane Downtown Berrymans Lane KEY Main Street West W W W Main Street East W Primary building entrances Key wayfinding point PNCC W Square East Courthouse Defined nodal points Street feature Landscape feature / enclosure Barrier / clutter Church Street W W Maple Lane Church Street Good visual integration with The Square Strong landmark Basic landmark Weak landmark Fitzherbert Avenue The Plaza Ashley Street Figure 32: Access and movement - wayfinding Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

46 2. 9 Access and Movement - CPTED Issues Generally After Hours Lighting Laneways Vacant Lots Bus Interchange Pedestrian Crossings Disorder Toilets Universal Access Public consultation revealed where people feel safe and unsafe within the project area. Refer Figure 33 which relates to after dark. Tendencies to feel unsafe vary within the project area. CPTED review found some of the spaces risky considered by those surveyed are indeed so. This is due to the factors described by those surveyed along with other factors found from the review. Some of the red spaces are not unsafe but can be perceived to be risky. In some areas (shown in red) there is a lack of other people to give a sense of safety in numbers. The presence of other people, City Hosts and Police can have a marked effect on safety. City Hosts and the Police have an excellent presence in the CBD, particularly at problematic times involving alcohol fuelled disorder associated with the late night economy Thursday night to early Sunday morning. It was noted how active and safe The Square is during the day and especially after dark. The fact it is used after hours highlights the lack of human scale spaces elsewhere in the project area. There is a lack of consistent lighting in the red areas [survey was before the under-veranda upgrades]. Lighting levels are much improved along The Square frontages with the introduction of new under-veranda lighting. Many areas, such as the laneways have insufficient or poor quality lighting. Parts of the CBD are over lit and poorly lit. Unsophisticated and excessive use of coloured lights has created an illegible nightscape the building edges of The Square are lost; and the effect of special lighting (such as the clock tower) and other wayfinding lighting has been significantly diminished. Laneways are important for promoting convenient mid-block access and North/South connections. For example the linkages between the CBD and the theatre, commercial premises on Queen Street and the polytechnic promote vitality, business, recreation and convenience. Sites awaiting development with hidden enclaves, poor lighting, rubbish and the like are used for antisocial purposes (drinking, congregation, soiling, disorder). The bus interchange conflicts with other uses and pedestrian traffic during the late night economy. It is currently used for patron and under-aged congregation, soiling, ambulance stop, police stop, and the like. It has a poor connection to The Square. Those surveyed reported that the pedestrian crossings around The Square are busy and intimidating. Disorderly people often instil fear in others and deter occupation by a wider range of people than bar goers after hours. Disorder is associated with the night time economy. During the day there are concerns about a small number of persistent beggars, visitors to the courthouse and loiterers at the main bus interchange. Footpath crowding and disorder affects safe movement. Having good toilet facilities promotes the safe, hygienic and sustained use of public space. A lack of conveniently accessible toilet facilities cause people to take risks down alleys, in door recesses, and vacant lots. It creates soiling in these areas. Soiling contributes to engendering a sense of fear of crime. Noted: Severe cross fall (>1:10) on footpaths. Difficulties negotiating ramps and kerbs at pedestrian crossings. Stony pathways. Fine broken glass on footpaths. Opportunities The spaces shown as red in Figure 33 are capable of being made to feel safer and be safer. The methods for improving safety and the sense of safety are set out below. There are opportunities to get more eyes on the street by activating building edges better by day and by night. Public spaces in the CBD could also be made more enticing to encourage people to stay in pleasant spaces rather than move through. The CBD could benefit from more human scale, sheltered, pleasant spaces in the public realm without obligation to buy from the premises providing seating on the footpath (this is one reason the mall is so successful). There is a significant opportunity to develop a CBD Lighting Plan which: Helps activate edges. Showcases worthy artworks, sculptures, building façades especially along the edges of The Square. Improves legibility and wayfinding, including signalling alleyway entrances and activity nodes therein. Makes through-block connections safer. Supports CCTV better. Laneways could be improved by: More legible entry thresholds. Activating edges. Improve safety / CPTED. Upgrading lighting. Control access to insecure private rear yards. Securing rubbish holding and storage areas. There is an opportunity to implement temporary security measures to make vacant sites be and seem safer. Christchurch has many examples of this. There is an opportunity to make the bus interchange a safer, more positive, better utilised, flexible space with human scale amenity, shelter, better connections to The Square and positive uses after hours when the buses stop running. A stronger and seemingly easier connection to The Square would help activate all streets in the CBD that connect with it. Environmental improvements can have a significant effect on minimising antisocial behaviour the thrust of CPTED. Some of this disorder is associated with tight queuing spaces outside bars, lack of space outside fast food outlets, and few choices outside of The Square to disengage into safe, supervised, quality spaces. There are opportunities to provide more safe, dispersed, public toilet facilities. The two in The Square after hours get overloaded on city party nights. A universal access study would support CBD development. 46 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

47 Nighttime King Street UCOL Little Cuba Cuba Street Ugly Anytime The Regent on Broadway Regent Arcade Nighttime Daytime Princess Street Coleman Mall Bird poo Bird poo Broadway Avenue Safe at night Anytime Main Street Square West Inner Square * i.site Kids congregating Bird poo 2 Nighttime Dark, scary Buses * Anytime 1 Main Street Nighttime Berrymans Lane Dark, scary Image 17: General safety concerns Image 18: Laneway Image 19: Laneway Image 20: Laneway PNCC 1 Square East Maple Lane Courthouse Lighting Dark Scary No lighting Overspill from courthouse Princess Street Church Street Church Street The Plaza Ugly Figure 33: Access and movement - Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Image 21: Inconsistent lighting Image 22: Vacant lots Image 23: Urban Bus Terminal The figure above shows feedback received at stakeholder engagement workshops, capturing areas where the community feels safe and unsafe, and at what times. KEY Safe Unsafe Dangerous pedestrian crossings Beggars Image 24: Footpath crowding and disorder Image 25: Public toilets Image 26: Universal access issues Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

48 2. 10 Access and Movement - Street Structure The study area comprises part of a much larger open grid system, with a high level of route choice for vehicles. Management of movements is therefore difficult and past observations have demonstrated a high proportion of traffic entering the study area (central CBD) passing straight through. Traffic volumes in the study area are therefore higher than necessary to service the activities contained within and around it. All of the roads within the study area are identified as Place Streets in the City Centre Framework, with the exception of part of Main Street, which to the east of the Urban Bus Terminal is a Movement/Place Street. These streets should therefore provide access to activities, with a high level of accessibility and priority given to pedestrians, rather than accommodating the through vehicular movements which currently occur. The high levels of on-street parking throughout the study area and short block lengths result in a low average vehicle speed, with averages for each section falling in the 22kph to 32kph range. Image 27: The Square circa 1942 previously subdivided by the street network 48 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

49 Constraints The size of The Square can add significant walk times for those with reduced mobility unless parking is provided on all sections of the perimeter, effectively reducing the walkability of the CBD. Vehicular access must therefore be retained to all locations; The open nature of the grid means that route prediction and therefore management of traffic can be difficult. Cuba Street Rangitikei Street King Street The Regent on Broadway Regent Arcade UCOL Princess Street Opportunities Coleman Mall Square North Broadway Avenue The grid system provides in-built resilience to the network and to a certain extent provides adequate choice for traffic to self-regulate, reducing the occurrence of significant congestion; The high level of accessibility and vehicular permeability provides opportunities for some links to be restricted while maintaining access to all locations; The ring road operates well below capacity, with efficiency gains possible with increased use (i.e. programming signals to favour the ring road over side roads; enabling green waves to improve travel times and journey reliability). Library Main Street West Square West AA Inner Square FF i.site EE High Flyers Broadway Service Lane Downtown Main Street East GG Berrymans Lane Courthouse PNCC BB DD Square East Maple Lane Church Street Church Street KEY Section line locations CC Fitzherbert Avenue The Plaza Ashley Street Figure 34: Access and movement - street structure section locations Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

50 Section AA: Square West (north section) Total Street 29.50m Carriageway 23.70m (kerb face to kerb face) The carriageway supports a single vehicle lane in either direction (both exceeding 3.2m), and on-street parking. Footpaths 5.80m (total) The western footpath supports street infrastructure, and allows unobstructed circulation. The narrow footpath width to the east may not allow for equitable access (dependent upon street infrastructure locations). Footpath grades are not known. Retail frontages typically provide built weather protection to the pavement. There is no built weather protection to the footpath adjacent The Square, however mature tree canopy provides some shelter from sunlight. Planting Established trees are planted in the generous median. There are no street trees along the building edge. Section BB: Square West (south section) Total Street 29.75m Carriageway 17.50m (kerb face to kerb face) The carriageway supports a single vehicle lane in either direction (both exceeding 3.2m), and on-street parking. Footpaths 8.60m (total) The western footpath supports retail spillout, street infrastructure, and allows unobstructed circulation. The narrow footpath width to the east may not allow for equitable access (dependent upon street infrastructure locations). Footpath grades are not known. Retail frontages typically provide built weather protection to the pavement. There is no built weather protection to the footpath adjacent The Square, however mature tree canopy provides some shelter from sunlight. Planting Established trees are planted in the generous median and there are recently planted street trees along the building edge. Section AA: Square West (north section) Section BB: Square West (south section) 50 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

51 Section CC: Church Street Total Street 31.11m Carriageway 32.34m (kerb face to kerb face) The carriageway supports a single vehicle lane in either direction (both exceeding 3.2m), and four bus parking lanes (totalling 18.82m). Footpaths 5.41 (total) The footpaths do not allow for unobstructed circulation, with street infrastructure (lighting, bins, bicycle hoops) and retail spillout included within the above measurements. The narrow footpath width, particularly to the south, may not allow for equitable access (dependent upon street infrastructure locations). Footpath grades are not known. Retail frontages typically provide built weather protection to the pavement. There is no built weather protection to footpath adjacent The Square, however mature tree canopy provides some shelter from sunlight. Planting Established trees are planted within the median. Section CC: Church Street Section DD: Square East (south section) Total Street 30.09m Carriageway 24.19m (kerb face to kerb face) The carriageway supports a single vehicle lane in either direction (both exceeding 3.2m), and four bus parking lanes (totalling 18.82m). Footpaths 5.90 (total) The footpaths do not allow for unobstructed circulation, with street infrastructure (lighting, bins, bicycle hoops) and retail spillout included within the above measurements. In addition, the narrow footpath width, particularly to the west, may not allow for equitable access (dependent upon street infrastructure locations). Footpath grades are not known. Retail frontages typically provide built weather protection to the pavement. There is no built weather protection to footpath adjacent The Square. Planting There are few established trees planting within the median. Section DD: Square East (south section) Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

52 Section EE: Main Street East - Urban Bus Terminal Total Street 39.64m Carriageway 32.34m (kerb face to kerb face) The carriageway supports a single vehicle lane in either direction (both exceeding 3.2m), and four bus parking lanes (totalling 18.82m). Urban Bus Terminal The Urban Bus Terminal canopies are industrially scaled, visually dominating the streetscape and providing little weather protection to commuters. Footpaths 7.30m (total) The footpaths are not appropriately scaled to support the pedestrian numbers along Main Street. Footpath grades are not known. There is little weather protection provided on the footpaths. Planting Four established trees are planted within the median at The Square, with understorey planting. Section EE: Main Street - Urban Bus Terminal 52 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016

53 Section FF: Square North (east section) Total Street 30.79m Carriageway 25.4m The carriageway supports four generous vehicular lanes (two exceeding 3.2m width), two in either direction, and a range of on-street parking. Footpaths 5.39m (total) The footpaths do not allow for unobstructed circulation, with street infrastructure (lighting, bins, bicycle hoops) and retail spillout included within the above measurements. In addition, the narrow footpath width, particularly to the south, may not allow for equitable access (for example, if retail premises have pavement spillout). Footpath grades are not known. Retail frontages typically provide built weather protection to the pavement. There is no built weather protection to footpath adjacent The Square. Planting There is no planting to the public realm or median strip. There is mature tree planting to The Square, providing some natural canopy. There is established median planting to the City block west of this section. Section FF: Square North (east section) Section GG: Broadway Avenue Total Street 30.19m Carriageway 18.45m The carriageway supports two generous vehicular lanes (both exceeding 3.2m width), one in either direction, and a range of on-street parking. Footpaths 11.74m (total) The footpaths are generously scaled. Street infrastructure (lighting, bins, bicycle hoops) and retail spillout (signage) are typically located to the kerb side. Footpath grades are not known. Retail frontages typically provide built weather protection to the pavement. Planting There is no planting to the public realm as mature street trees were recently removed. Section GG: Broadway Avenue Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June

54 2. 11 Built Form - Figure Ground Study Figures 35 and 36 present a same-scale comparative exercise of The Square in Palmerston North with precedents from the UK, North America and Continental Europe. 425m The Square is a very large space by comparison, a fact that is accentuated by the relatively low scale of the buildings that contain and define the space. The earlier subdivision of The Square into quadrants (Image 25 on page 48) is perhaps testimony to the recognition that the scale of the space required reduction and could accommodate a street network within it. Trafalgar Square, London s pre-eminent urban space is smaller than The Square and activated by large sculptural features, water displays and fronted by the National Gallery. Each side of Trafalgar Square has a different built character and function. The Square at Palmerston North perhaps suffers from lack of a highly visible grand feature building that activates an edge, with all bounding streets being of a similar character. The old post office building has the potential to fulfil a more vital role for The Square and should be a focus of future investment and design attention. Bryant Park in New York could be contained within half of The Square, as could Bedford Square (London) or the Piazza Del Campo (Sienna). The implications of this large scale suggest the need for The Square to provide a variety of types of setting (i.e. not just one type of space or edge condition) and to pursue a design approach that reinforces the different functions of the edges of The Square. The Square Palmerston North, New Zealand Bryant Park New York City, USA Trafalgar Square London, England Figure 35: Figure ground studies 54 Palmerston North City Centre Streetscape Plan Part A - Technical Analysis Report Palmerston North City Council June 2016